Of course, said Bill Shankly. And it’s good to see you, too, Mr Smith. In fact, I was hoping I might have a word with you, too.
John Smith nodded. And John Smith said, Well then, shall we go back inside? Up to my office? And have our chat there?
Great, said Bill Shankly. That would be great.
John Smith and Bill Shankly walked back across the car park. The Anfield car park. Back into the ground. The Anfield ground. Up the stairs. The Anfield stairs. Along the corridor. The Anfield corridor. And into the office. The chairman’s office –
John Smith gestured at one of the chairs in front of his desk. And John Smith said, Please, Mr Shankly. Have a seat.
Thank you, said Bill Shankly.
John Smith sat down at his desk. John Smith looked across his desk at Bill Shankly. John Smith smiled. And John Smith said, So how are you keeping, Mr Shankly? How is retirement treating you?
Well, to be honest with you, said Bill Shankly. I’ve hurt my shoulder. I’ve been training. Keeping myself fit. And then I only went and slipped as I stepped out of the bath. Like a bloody fool.
John Smith said, Oh, I’m very sorry to hear that, Mr Shankly. I really am. And I hope it’s nothing too serious?
No, no, said Bill Shankly. But I think I should lay off the training for a wee while. Just for a while, mind. Until it’s right again.
John Smith coughed. John Smith cleared his throat. John Smith took a deep breath. And then John Smith said, Well, it was actually about the training I wanted a word, Mr Shankly …
Yes, said Bill Shankly. Of course. I mean, anything I can do to help. Then I will. Of course. Anything at all.
John Smith coughed again. And John Smith said, Well, to be very honest with you, Mr Shankly, I think what would be most helpful, the most helpful thing you could do, would be to come in and do your training on an afternoon. After the players have finished. In the afternoon. I understand you want to keep fit. I understand, Mr Shankly. Of course I do. And so you’re always very welcome to come in every day. Every afternoon. And to use the facilities. The training ground. Of course. But after the players have left. I think that would be for the best. The best and most helpful thing. For everyone …
In the ground. The Anfield ground. In the office. The chairman’s office. In the chair. The chair before the desk. In his suit and in his tie. His Liverpool Football Club tie. Bill Shankly fought back tears. Bill Shankly struggled to breathe.
And Bill Shankly nodded.
John Smith coughed again. And John Smith said, It’s not that you are not welcome here any more, Mr Shankly. Please do not think that. It’s not that you are being cast out. Please never think that. But we have to let Bob make his own mark. Let Bob be his own man. Not to live in your shadow. Bob has to be able to step out of your shadow. To stand or fall. On his own. As his own man. The man the players call Boss. Not Bob. Boss. The only man the players call Boss.
His heart breaking, his head nodding. His back already broken, his kneecaps shot and shattered. A cattle gun to his forehead. Bill Shankly tried to stand. And not to run. To get back on his feet. And to walk away. His head high, his chin up. But Bill Shankly could not stand. Bill Shankly could not get back on his feet.
And Bill Shankly nodded again.
John Smith said, I am sure you can see the difficulty, Mr Shankly. The difficulty of the situation for everyone. And so I’m sure you understand why I am saying what I’m saying, Mr Shankly. Not out of any disrespect towards you. Or any malice, Mr Shankly. Just in the hope of making the situation easier, making a difficult situation easier. Easier for everyone, Mr Shankly. For the players and for Bob. And for the club, for Liverpool Football Club, Mr Shankly. And, of course, for you as well, Mr Shankly. So I hope you understand …
Yes, said Bill Shankly. I understand.
John Smith smiled. John Smith nodded. And John Smith said, Good, good. Thank you, Mr Shankly. Thank you. Now you said there was something you wanted to talk to me about, Mr Shankly?
No, said Bill Shankly. It’s not important now.
John Smith smiled again. John Smith nodded again. And John Smith said, Well then, Mr Shankly. If that is all …
Yes, said Bill Shankly. That is all.
And Bill Shankly gripped both arms of the chair. And Bill Shankly forced himself to stand. To get back on his feet. And to walk away, out of the office. The chairman’s office. And along the corridor. The Anfield corridor. And down the stairs. The Anfield stairs. And through the door. The Anfield door. Bill walked. Out of the ground,
the Anfield ground. Alone –
Bill walked alone.
58. OUTSIDE THE GATES, OUTSIDE THE PALACE
In the house, in their bed. In the dark and in the silence. His head on his pillow. His eyes open. Bill was exhausted, Bill was shattered. Exhausted and shattered by the hours ahead. The days to come. The long days to come. The long days without name. The long days marching on. Without flags, without songs. Exhausted and shattered. In the house, in their bed. In the dark and in the silence. Now Bill saw the curtain edges grow light again. Now Bill heard the paper through the letterbox. The paper on the floor. And Bill got out of bed. Bill put on his dressing gown. Bill walked down the stairs. Bill picked up the papers from the floor. The Sunday papers. And Bill smiled. Bill put down the papers on the table in the hall. Bill walked back up the stairs. Bill went into the bathroom. Bill washed and Bill shaved. Bill went into the bedroom. Bill took off his pyjamas. Bill put on his tracksuit. His red tracksuit bottoms and his red tracksuit top. Bill took his boots from out of the bottom of the wardrobe. Bill walked back down the stairs. Bill put his boots down on the floor by the front door. Bill walked into the kitchen. Bill ate breakfast with Ness. A slice of toast and honey, a glass of orange juice and a cup of tea. Bill helped Ness clear away the breakfast things. Bill dried up the breakfast things. Bill helped Ness put away the breakfast things. Bill kissed Ness on her cheek. And Bill said, I’m just going up to the rec for a bit, love. For a bit of a kick-about with the young lads up there.
That’s a good idea, said Ness.
But I’ll be back before lunch. Back in time to give you a hand. Don’t you worry, love …
Don’t be worrying about me, said Ness. You just go and enjoy yourself, love. Just don’t overdo it. Not with your shoulder, love.
I won’t, love. I won’t. Don’t worry, love …
And Bill kissed Ness on her cheek again. Bill went back out into the hall. Bill sat down on the bottom step of the stairs. Bill put on his boots. His football boots. Bill stood back up. Bill went out of the front door. Down the drive, down the street. And up to the rec –
And the young lads on the rec saw Bill coming. In his tracksuit. His red tracksuit bottoms and his red tracksuit top. The young lads ran towards Bill. The young lads gathered around Bill. Jumping up and down, smiling from ear to ear. Asking him about this and telling him about that. And some of the young lads ran to wake up their mates. To get their mates out of their beds and to fetch their mates up to the rec. And soon there were forty young lads on the rec. Forty young lads with their ball and with Bill. In his tracksuit. His red tracksuit bottoms and his red tracksuit top. In the middle of the rec, in the middle of the lads. At the heart of the game, the twenty-a-side game. In his tracksuit. His red tracksuit bottoms and his red tracksuit top. Bill laughing, Bill joking. Inspiring, cajoling. And playing. At the heart of the game, the twenty-a-side game. Playing harder than ever. In his tracksuit. His red tracksuit bottoms and his red tracksuit top. With no more minutes, with no more hours. No long minutes and no long hours. Just joking, just laughing. Cajoling, inspiring. And playing and playing. Until the game was done and Bill’s side had won. And Bill said, Right then, boys. I best be getting back home for my dinner. And so should you, boys. Back to your homes, back to your families. But you all take care now, boys. And I’ll see you all next week. Same time again, boys …